Your Time Is Your Life: How to Design a Life Worth Living
In this transformative solo episode of Passion Struck, I explore a truth that’s reshaped the way I live: your time is your life—and most of us are spending that life rushing, reacting, and reaching, instead of inhabiting our days. Drawing from my recent experiences in nature and conversations with Oliver Burkeman (Four Thousand Weeks), astronaut Susan Kilrain, and awe researcher Dacher Keltner, I unpack how to shift from chasing productivity to designing presence.
I also introduce The Awe Map—a simple but powerful tool to help you reconnect with what matters. Because time well spent isn’t about getting more done—it’s about feeling more alive while doing it.
Explore More Inside The Ignited Life Substack
The episode gives you the insight. The Ignited Life gives you the tools.
To help you take action on this episode, download the Becoming Workbook. This companion tool includes:
A personal alignment compass to stay on course
A 7-day microshift tracker
Daily prompts to build identity-based habits
Reflection tools for breaking emotional loops
In case you didn’t already know, John R. Miles (@John_R_Miles) takes your comments and questions for Momentum Friday right here every week! If you want him to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Momentum Friday episodes, drop us a line at [email protected]. Now, let’s dive in!
“If how you’re spending your time doesn’t match who you want to be, that’s not just a scheduling problem—that’s a soul level misalignment.”
The Hidden Cost of Busyness—and the Courage to Redesign Your Awe Map
This episode isn’t about time hacks or high-performance routines. It’s about something much deeper: reclaiming your relationship with time so you can live a life that actually feels like your own. I share reflections from my time in nature, powerful lessons from conversations with astronaut Susan Kilrain and author Oliver Burkeman, and how the illusion of control is robbing us of meaning.
The truth is, most of us don’t suffer from a lack of time—we suffer from disconnection. That’s why I created the Awe Map, a simple but profound framework to help you come back to what matters. Because how to design a life worth living starts with how we spend the next hour. Not with more doing, but with more being.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why your calendar reveals your truth, whether you’re aware of it or not
How awe can expand your perception of time and anchor you in meaning
What causes real burnout—and how to recover by realigning, not reinventing
How to use the Awe Map as a daily compass for emotional presence
Why saying “no” can be your most powerful tool for reclaiming sacred time
The difference between managing time and inhabiting your life
Why is this a Must-Listen?
Because time isn’t just a resource—it’s your most honest mirror. And if you’ve ever felt like your life looks good on paper but feels disconnected in your body, this episode will resonate deeply. It gives you the language, the framework, and the permission to stop chasing and start designing a life worth living—one aligned moment at a time. Whether you’re a leader, parent, or simply someone trying to feel more awake inside your days, this episode is your invitation to live fully, not just efficiently.
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The Awe Map: Your Guide to Reclaim Sacred Time and Emotional Alignment
So often we think awe is something that happens to us—out of the blue, in rare moments of beauty or grandeur. But I’ve learned something different: awe isn’t accidental—it’s designed. That’s why I created the Awe Map, a four-step daily practice to help you reconnect with presence, stillness, and emotional clarity.
This isn’t about productivity or getting ahead. It’s about tuning into the parts of life that make you feel most alive. Because in the end, your time is your life—and every quiet choice you make is shaping who you’re becoming.
Here’s how the Awe Map works:
1. Pause
Break the pattern. Step outside the noise. Give yourself five uninterrupted minutes to breathe, notice, and return to yourself.
2. Prioritize
Ask: what feels real right now? What matters—not for status or optics, but for your soul? Let that guide your choices.
3. Protect
Guard that space. Say no to what distracts so you can say yes to what restores. Your presence needs a perimeter.
4. Practice
Don’t wait for awe to strike. Make space for it. One hour a day of unplugged, unperformed living can change your internal landscape.
Each step in The Awe Map isn’t a task—it’s a realignment. A way to return to yourself. A method for learning how to design a life worth living—not through speed or scale, but through meaning, attention, and care.
Because awe doesn’t just happen. It happens when we stop long enough to notice we’re alive.
RESOURCES FROM THE SHOW “Your Time Is Your Life: How to Design a Life Worth Living”
Please note that some of the links on this page (books, movies, music, etc.) lead to affiliate programs for which The Passion Struck podcast receives compensation. It’s just one of the ways we keep the lights on around here. Thank you so much for being so supportive!
American Psychological Association (APA) – Resources on resilience and coping: apa.org
Psychology Today – Articles on mental health, resilience, and personal growth: psychologytoday.com
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About John R. Miles
John R. Miles is a transformative leader, blending military precision with entrepreneurial flair to ignite purpose and intentional living in millions. A former U.S. Navy officer and Fortune 50 executive, John transitioned from the C-suite to become an international bestselling author and host of the globally acclaimed Passion Struck® podcast, which has ranked as the #1 alternative health podcast in over 25 countries.
John writes about the science of behavior change, personal mastery, and purpose-driven leadership, drawing from his extensive research in neuroscience and psychology, plus over 700 interviews with trailblazing experts. His book, Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life, has earned accolades, including Best Business Book at the 2024 International Business Awards.
With a mission to inspire others to live with passion and intention, John’s quirky blend of deep insight and approachable wisdom makes him a sought-after voice in leadership and personal development.
Passion Struck aspires to speak to the humanity of people in a way that makes them want to better, live better, and impact the world.
Passion Struck’s mission is to unlock the power of inten
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